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| Generic Name: | baclofen |
| Pronounced: | BAK loe fen |
| Brand Name: | Lioresal |
What is the most important information I should know about baclofen? |
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 | Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities.
Baclofen may cause dizziness or drowsiness. If you experience dizziness or drowsiness, avoid these
activities. |
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 | Use alcohol cautiously. Alcohol may increase drowsiness and dizziness while you are taking
baclofen. |
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 | Do not stop taking baclofen suddenly. Stopping suddenly may cause seizures or
hallucinations. Your doctor will want to gradually reduce you dose. |
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What is baclofen? |
| Baclofen is a muscle relaxant and an antispastic agent. The exact way that baclofen works is
unknown. |
| Baclofen is used to relieve the muscle spasms, pain, and muscular rigidity associated with
multiple sclerosis. |
| Baclofen may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide. |
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking baclofen? |
| Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have |
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kidney disease or
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epilepsy or another seizure disorder.
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| You may not be able to take baclofen, or you may require a lower dose or
special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above. |
 | Baclofen is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether
baclofen will harm an unborn baby. Do not take baclofen without first talking to your doctor if you are
pregnant. |
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 | It is also not known whether baclofen passes into breast milk. Do not take baclofen without
first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. |
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How should I take baclofen? |
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| Take baclofen exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these directions,
ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you. |
 | Take each dose with a full glass of water. |
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| You can take baclofen with or without food. |
| Do not stop taking baclofen suddenly. Stopping suddenly could cause seizures or
hallucinations. Talk to your doctor first if you need to stop taking this medication. |
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 | Store baclofen at room temperature away from moisture and heat. |
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What happens if I miss a dose? |
| Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next
dose, skip the missed dose and take only your next regularly scheduled dose. Do not
take a double dose of this medication. |
What happens if I overdose? |
 | Seek emergency medical treatment. |
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| Symptoms of a baclofen overdose include vomiting, weakness, drowsiness, slow breathing,
seizures, unusual pupil size, and coma. |
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What should I avoid while taking baclofen? |
| Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities.
Baclofen may cause dizziness or drowsiness. If you experience dizziness or drowsiness, avoid these
activities. |
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| Use alcohol cautiously. Alcohol may increase drowsiness and dizziness while you are taking
baclofen. |
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What are the possible side effects of baclofen? |
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| If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking baclofen and seek
emergency medical attention: |
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an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat;
swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
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seizures; or
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an irregular heartbeat.
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| Other, less serious side effects are more likely to occur. Continue to take
baclofen and talk to your doctor if you experience any of the following: |
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drowsiness, dizziness, weakness, or unusual fatigue;
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a headache;
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constipation;
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stuffy nose;
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blurred vision;
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a rash; or
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frequent urination.
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| Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor
about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome. |
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What other drugs will affect baclofen? |
| Many drugs can increase the effects of baclofen, which can lead to heavy sedation. Before
taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines: |
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antihistamines such as brompheniramine (Dimetane, Bromfed,
others), chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton, Teldrin, others), azatadine (Optimine), clemastine
(Tavist), and many others;
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narcotics (pain killers) such as meperidine (Demerol),
morphine (MS Contin, MSIR, others), propoxyphene (Darvon, Darvocet), hydrocodone (Lorcet,
Vicodin), oxycodone (Percocet, Percodan), fentanyl (Duragesic), and codeine (Fiorinal, Fioricet,
Tylenol #3, others);
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sedatives such as phenobarbital (Solfoton, Luminal),
amobarbital (Amytal), and secobarbital (Seconal);
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phenothiazines such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine),
fluphenazine (Prolixin), mesoridazine (Serentil), perphenazine (Trilafon), prochlorperazine
(Compazine), thioridazine (Mellaril), and trifluoperazine (Stelazine); or
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antidepressants such as doxepin (Sinequan), imipramine
(Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft),
phenelzine (Nardil), and tranylcypromine (Parnate).
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| Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with baclofen. Talk to
your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines. |
Where can I get more information? |
| Your pharmacist has more information about baclofen written for health professionals that you
may read. |
What does my medication look like? |
| Baclofen is available with a prescription under the brand name Lioresal. Other brand or generic
formulations may also be available. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about this medication,
especially if it is new to you. |
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Lioresal 10 mg--oval, white, scored tablets
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Lioresal 20 mg--capsule-shaped, white, scored tablets
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| Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your
medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed |
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Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner
Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee
is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time
sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare
practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does
not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless
specifically indicated otherwise.
Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or
recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource
designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their
patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to,
and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of
healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug
combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug
combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum
does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered
with the aid of information Multum provides.
The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses,
directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions,
or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking,
check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
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